Jungle Kill (12 page)

Ngola moved towards Mitch, swinging the machete, a smirk on his face.

I’m in trouble, thought Mitch. This guy’s an expert with that, and he’s dead right that a knife is no match for a machete in a hand-to-hand fight. If he gets close …

Ngola gave a yell, triumph mixed with rage, and swung the machete back ready to strike as he lunged powerfully at Mitch. Mitch took his chance and threw the knife hard. The point hit Ngola full on in the throat.

Ngola stopped, dropped the machete and stumbled, his eyes staring at Mitch in amazement, his mouth opening and closing, unable to speak. Mitch bent down and scooped up the fallen machete, and with one swift slash delivered the fatal blow. Ngola toppled to the floor.

From outside the door the shouting and banging increased. Then came the sound of loud machine-gun fire. Mitch looked towards the window, the only way out. But that window was barred by a protective iron sheet fixed firmly across it. There was no way he would get through it before the
bandits shot their way in.

Then he realised with a shock that the shooting and shouting had stopped.

‘OK, Mitch, you can open this door now!’ called a familiar voice.

It was Two Moons!

Mitch hauled the heavy desk away from the door, and opened it to reveal Two Moons, Gaz and Nelson, all carrying automatic rifles. The bodies of dead bandits littered the corridor.

Mitch stared at them, stunned. Gaz and Two Moons were grinning at his look of astonishment, but Mitch could tell from the very grim expression on Nelson’s face that the colonel was furious with him.

Two Moons looked down at the dead body of Ngola.

‘Wow. You really got him,’ he said.

‘Let’s do the compliments later,’ said Nelson tersely. ‘The chopper should be coming back soon. This time we’re going to be on it.’

As Mitch followed the others along the landing and down the stairs, he could see more bandits’ bodies. The guys had done a massive clear-up job.

‘The chopper took Mwanga and Tug for treatment,’ explained Gaz. ‘Benny went with them to make sure everything’s OK. We stayed to look for you. Once we heard all hell breaking loose inside the hotel, we knew that’s where you must be.’

‘But Nelson said –’ began Mitch.

‘The colonel says lots of things,’ said Two Moons. ‘But one thing is always true: we don’t leave our men behind.’

By now they had come out of the hotel and Mitch could hear the familiar whirring of a helicopter’s rotors, its lights fast approaching.

Whatever consequences Mitch might face, they’d rescued Mwanga, Ngola was dead, and the villagers were safe. The mission was over.

The helicopter took them over the jungle, past the lights of the oilfields around the Niger Delta and
across the open sea to where a US warship was waiting for them.

Nelson sat at the front with Two Moons. Mitch sat with Gaz. He was uncomfortably aware that Nelson hadn’t exchanged a word with him since they left the room and Ngola’s dead body.

‘I guess I’m in the colonel’s bad books,’ he said.

‘You disobeyed a direct order, Mitch,’ said Gaz. ‘You know what the military are like about orders.’

‘Yeah,’ admitted Mitch. He looked again at Nelson, at the angry expression on the colonel’s face. Then he frowned, puzzled.

‘This chopper …’ he said.

‘What about it?’ asked Gaz.

‘The colonel said he didn’t trust anybody. So where did it come from?’

‘The colonel said he didn’t trust anyone
on our side,’
emphasised Gaz. He jerked his thumb at the pilot. ‘This is sort of a private arrangement between the colonel and some old ex-army buddy of his. Turns out the guy’s working as a pilot
for one of the oil companies.’

‘But how did the colonel get hold of him?’

Gaz shrugged. ‘I don’t ask those sort of questions,’ he said. ‘Just be grateful he did.’

The chopper landed on the flight deck of the warship. Benny was waiting for them. ‘Glad you made it,’ he said. He gave Mitch a broad grin. ‘Man, you sure are dirty!’

‘How are Mwanga and Tug?’ demanded Nelson.

‘They’re in sick bay. Both doing fine,’ Benny said.

‘Good,’ said Nelson. He turned to Mitch, his face still unsmiling. ‘Go get cleaned up. Then I want to see you, Mitch. I’ll be in the captain’s cabin. Report to me there in an hour.’

With that, Nelson headed for the hatch that led below decks.

Gaz sighed ruefully. ‘Somehow, from his tone, I don’t think you’re in line for a medal, pal,’ he said.

An hour later, showered and changed, Mitch knocked at the door of the captain’s cabin.

‘Come in!’ called Nelson.

Mitch entered.

The cabin, like most on the warship, was small and the large figure of Nelson seemed to fill it. He was sitting at a small table.

‘You know what this is about, don’t you,’ said Nelson. It wasn’t a question; it was a statement. His tone, like the expression on his face, was grim and hard.

‘Me going after Ngola,’ said Mitch.

Nelson nodded. ‘You put the operation at risk. We had Mwanga on board the chopper. We’d come back to pick up the rest of the unit. We were all ready to get everyone to safety, and you rush off on some private vendetta.’

‘While Ngola stayed alive, those villagers were in danger.’

‘In a battle zone everyone’s in danger, whatever happens,’ snapped back Nelson. ‘The point is that you disobeyed a direct order from your commanding officer. In army terms, that’s mutiny. I should
have shot you dead as soon as you headed for the jungle. I’d have been within my rights, and you know it.’

Mitch hesitated, then he nodded. ‘Yes, sir,’ he said.

‘I don’t need your agreement!’ barked Nelson angrily. ‘It’s a fact! You didn’t just put the mission in jeopardy, but also the lives of your fellow soldiers.’ He shook his head sadly. ‘You’re a maverick, Mitch. You’re a fine warrior, but a bad soldier. I don’t want you on my team.’

As he heard these words, Mitch felt his heart sink.

After being out of the game he had been reluctantly drawn back in. And he’d found a comradeship with Two Moons and Gaz that really meant something to him. As part of Delta Unit, he’d felt at home for the first time in a long while. The Band of Brothers. And now it was being snatched away from him.

‘But Tug does,’ added Nelson.

Mitch looked at Nelson, shocked. ‘Tug?’ he echoed.

Nelson nodded. ‘And Benny. And Two Moons and Gaz. They seem to think I ought to overlook this and give you another chance.’

‘Tug and Benny?’ repeated Mitch, still stunned by what he had heard. He could understand Two Moons and Gaz speaking up for him, but Tug and Benny? It didn’t make sense.

‘So, although, as you know, this outfit is not a democracy and orders are orders, that gives you four votes of confidence against one. So, what do you say? Can I trust you?’

‘Yes, sir,’ said Mitch.

‘You’ll obey orders?’

‘Yes, sir,’ repeated Mitch, more firmly this time.

‘OK,’ said Nelson. ‘In that case, consider yourself part of the team. But this is a test period. I’ll be watching you, Mitch. You screw up like that again, you’re out. Is that clear?’

‘Yes, Colonel.’

Tug was lying in a bed, a cage over his legs, as Mitch entered the medical quarters. Drips and tubes were running into him.

‘How’s the leg?’ asked Mitch.

‘It’ll be worse when the anaesthetic wears off and the pain kicks in,’ said Tug. ‘I’m glad you came by. I didn’t get the chance to thank you for coming back for me.’

‘I’m the one to say thanks,’ said Mitch. ‘Colonel Nelson was going to kick me out of the unit. He says you spoke up for me.’

Tug shrugged. ‘It seemed the right thing to do,’ he said.

‘Because I came back for you?’

Tug nodded. ‘It showed me you’d put yourself in danger for a comrade. It means we can count on you if things go wrong.’

‘That’s what soldiers do,’ Mitch said.

Tug forced a smile.

‘That’s what soldiers are
supposed
to do. But
when it comes to it, not all do.’ He held out his hand to Mitch. ‘You came through for us.’

Mitch took Tug’s hand and shook it. ‘Thanks,’ he said.

‘Welcome to Delta Unit,’ said Tug.